Terrifying simulation shows what happens to your brain when you smoke a cigarette

You may already know what happens to your lungs when you puff away on your cigarette but what about your brain?

A 'devastating' study has revealed just how many minutes one cigarette can take off your life, but if that wasn't enough to sway you, perhaps knowing the effect smoking can have on the brain may help you stop inhaling nicotine and tar once and for all.

Animated Biomedical created a '3D representation of the effect smoking and nicotine have on your body and brain' and shared the simulation to YouTube.

"It takes around 10 seconds for the nicotine to reach your brain. This surge of nicotine is so satisfying that you immediately feel better.

"Over time, your body gets used to the good feelings from nicotine and you can't do without it. This means you're addicted.

"You feel good when your nicotine levels are high and bad when they're low. This up and down effect goes on all day which is why it can be difficult to give up."

Indeed, Healthline adds nicotine 'activates dopamine signals, creating a pleasurable sensation' and you can end up developing a 'tolerance'.

And it's not taken long for people to weigh in.

One YouTube user commented: "Thank God. I stop smoking cigarette two month know."

"I have never smoked and I refuse to try it," another said, while a third divulged their own personal experience, writing: "Please never touch one, my personal experience I bought a pac of cigarettes out of curiosity and decided to smoke 1 cigarette a day, after smoking just one cigarette for a couple of days I started have this strong craving to smoke another, it turned to two a day, when that pack cigarette was over I wanted to get another and a another soon I was smoking 3 a day and kept craving more, I developed an addiction so finally one day I decided to stop, it was the worst experience ever the withdrawal symptoms was so bad I wasn’t able to sleep although I was so tired and exhausted

"[...] It was one of the worst experiences of my life. It was absolute hell for almost two months."

Healthline further explains you can 'experience a variety of side effects including anxiety, irritability, and a strong craving for nicotine' due to smoking having changed your brain and made you develop a dependence on nicotine.

However, talking to your doctor, trying nicotine replacement therapies, getting counseling support, learning relaxation techniques and focusing on exercise, time with family, hobbies and sleep can all help you on the path to quitting for good.